User:Prchov/George Ehret

George Ehret (April 6, 1835-January 1927) was the founder of Hell Gate Brewery in New York City, at one time the largest brewery in the United States.

Ehret was born in Hofweier, in the Grand Duchy of Baden, Germany. His father, a prosperous brewery, emigrated to the United States in 1852, and George came to join him in 1857. Initially he worked for another brewer, Anton Hupfel in New York. In six years, he rose to become Hupfel's master brewer, and Hupfel lend him enough money, combined with what Ehret himself had saved, to start a brewery of his own.

In 1866, at age 31, Ehret constructed his new brewery in what was then a rural area in the northern reaches of Manhattan's Upper East Side, opposite a dangerous passage in the East River called Hell Gate, naming it Hell Gate Brewery. The original building was located between 92nd and 93rd Streets and Second and Third Avenues. The beer he produced, like most produced in America by German immigrants at that time, was a full-malt Bavarian lager. Although hampered by the water available in New York, he was able to produce a beer which closely resembled that style.

On September 19, 1870, a fire destroyed the greater part of Ehret's brewery, including all of its records and papers, bringing operations to a halt. However, the loss did little lasting harm to the business, since demand was fast outgrowing the capacity of the original plant anyway, requiring new facilities and machinery. By 1872 the new facility was producing 33,512 barrels, the next year output was 74,497 barrels, and in 1874 it reached 101,050 barrels. By 1877 George Ehret had become the largest brewer in the country. From there, output continued to grow rapidly: to 220,096 barrels in 1880, to 412,851 barrels in 1890, and to 601,000 barrels in 1900.

The grounds, by that time, embraced 75 city lots, or 187,500 square feet, extending between Second and Third Avenues from 91st to 94th Streets, as well as stables and storage buildings on Second Avenue between 91st and 93rd Streets. The main building, on 93rd Street, was surmounted by a graceful clock tower which became a neighborhood landmark.

Ehret invested substantial amounts of money in Manhattan real estate, eventually becoming the city's second-largest landowner. His holdings were second only to those of the John Jacob Astor estate. They included a Fifth Avenue mansion, large holdings in the Wall Street area, a corner lot abutting Columbus Circle, and large parts of Harlem, then a upper middle class neighborhood.

Most of Ehret's beer was sold in New York City. With such a large local market ready at hand, he faced little pressure to develop more distant markets. Eventually, however, this put him at a disadvantage to other brewers from smaller cities like Milwaukee and St. Louis who developed nationwide distribution systems. In 1905, after 18 years as America's "king of brewing," Ehret was bumped from the number one spot. Yet despite being passed by the national sales of Pabst, Anheuser-Busch, and Schlitz, Ehret's regional sales were still strong enough for him to remain number four.

During the First World War, Ehret's real estate holdings were seized by the government under the Alien Property Custodian's Act, but were eventually returned.

TIME Magazine offered the following description of George Ehret:

George Ehret had kindly little eyes and a wedge-shaped bald head, spreading out at the neck. His stiff collars, always too big for him, were immense, low and broad; he tucked the ends of his black bow tie up under the flaps of his collar. His figure was square, his legs a little bowed.

Although he worked hard, he had a reputation for enjoying good quantities of food and drink. All the German street bands in the Bronx called at George Ehret's house, often several times a night. Each time, he would send his butler down with a glass of beer and a dollar bill for every man.

When Prohibition was enacted, Ehret refused to shut up his brewery, and would not lay of any employee until he had a new job. The brewery then converted to making near beer.

He was born at Hofweier, County of Offenberg, in the Grand Duchy of Baden, Germany. His father, a prosperous brewer, came to the U. S. in 1857. George Ehret learned his trade young. He knew all about brewing and cooperage when he went to work for Anton Hupfel in Manhattan. In six years he became Hupfel's master brewer, and Hupfel lent him enough money, combined with what he had saved, to start a brewery of his own. George Ehret called it the Hell Gate Brewery. It was his ambition to make the best lager beer in the U. S. Fire burned down the Hell Gate Brewery. George Ehret built it up again. To get pure water he drilled an artesian well through 700 feet of rock. He would not defile good hops with city water. In 1871 he put out 33,512 barrels, and knew that he would be a rich man. He made up his mind to work harder. He had eight children. Every evening, coming home hungry, he tucked his napkin in his neck and filled his stomach with good food. His stein was always refilled several times. When he became fabulously rich a reporter asked him what was the secret of his success. George Ehret smiled vaguely and, with a big hand on the table, seemed to lose himself in memories. "Ja . . . ja. . . ." The reporter quoted him as saying "Good beer, good health." But George Ehret did not say that. Life was more than food and drink. In the evenings, perhaps, a game of dominoes. No better game. . . . About half-past nine a band was sure to come round. All the German street bands in the Bronx called at George Ehret's house. He would send the butler down with a glass of beer and a dollar bill for every man. The butler grumbled because he knew the tricks of these foxes of bandsmen. "The Blue Danube" at nine o'clock. A glass of beer and a dollar bill. Then around the block. At half past nine, "Die Wacht am Rhein." Another bill, another glass. Upstairs, with his feet on a rocking chair, Herr Ehret paid no heed to his butler's complaints. Sometimes, if no band came, he played to himself on the flageolet, a sad and wandering air. Then to bed. He had bought real estate with his money—Manhattan real estate was good, and at one time he owned more than anyone except John Jacob Astor—but he never raised a rent or put a tenant out for not paying the rent. When the War came, the government took all his property under the Alien Property Custodian's Act. George Ehret got it back again. When Prohibition came he could not quite believe it. That it should happen, such a craziness! . . . He refused to shut up his brewery. He would not let any man leave him until the man had a new job. The old brewers, who like him would rather have lost money than mixed their materials with dirty city water, who were proud of their lager, and who had grown fat and raised families, these men George Ehret set to work making near beer.

George Ehret had kindly little eyes and a wedge-shaped bald head, spreading out at the neck. His stiff collars, always too big for him, were immense, low and broad; he tucked the ends of his black bow tie up under the flaps of his collar. His figure was square, his legs a little bowed.

Last week George Ehret, 92, died in Manhattan of pneumonia. He left $40,000,000.

Read more: http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,729885,00.html#ixzz1YMjSD6tx

The Hell Gate Brewery was established by George Ehret in the year 1866; hence, at a time when the annual production of malt liquors [in the U.S.] had increased to 5,115,140 barrels. He had then just attained the age of thirty-one years, the date of his birth being April 6, 1835. Nine years before the establishment of this brewery, Mr. Ehret came to America (1857) to join his father, who had emigrated from Germany in August, 1852.

Mr. Ehret, being a thoroughly practical brewer, strictly devoted to his calling, had not long to serve in the brewery of A. Hupfel before he rose to the foremanship and gained the full confidence and friendship of his employer. When he made known his intention to start a brewery for himself, Mr. Hupfel, a man of generous instincts and philanthropic disposition, at once promised and, at the proper time, gave his support and assistance to the new enterprise.

The site selected by Mr. George Ehret for his brewery was at that time of a decidedly rural character. It was opposite a dangerous passage in the East river, which had been designated "Hell Gate." From this fact Mr. Ehret decided to name his brewery "The Hell Gate Brewery."

The building in which he began brewing was erected under his supervision on the lower part of the block, between Ninety-second and Ninety-third streets and Second and Third avenues, and its interior appointments were completed at the beginning of the year 1867. This building is no longer standing. It was succeeded by another in 1871, which formed the nucleus of the establishment that now covers the greater part of an entire block. It is at present almost hidden by the over-towering brewery buildings which have sprung up around it in the course of a quarter century, and a full view of it can only be gained from the quadrangular yard, of which it forms the interior side, the buildings flanking it being the offices and the storehouse, both fronting on Ninety-second street.

Mr. George Ehret, from the very beginning, aimed at the brewing of a beer as nearly like the best quality of Munich lager as the difference between our water and that of the river Isar would admit. How well he succeeded in this may be inferred from the popularity which his beer attained in a few years. As has been said, he began brewing immediately after the completion of his plant. At the beginning of January, 1867, the first brew was stored in the cellars; in March of the same year his wagons, freighted not only with kegs, but also, metaphorically speaking, with all his expectations and anxieties, left his yards for the first time to serve his new customers. Five years after that date he sold 33,512 barrels; seven years later, 74,497 barrels, and in 1874 he produced and sold 101,050 barrels -- a quantity which twenty-eight years ago was manufactured by but very few of the largest establishments. This growth was then all the more remarkable, because Mr. Ehret's operations had suddenly been checked for a considerable time on account of a fire which, on the 19th of September, I870, destroyed the greater part of his brewery, including books and papers. It is owing to this fact that we are unable to give the quantities of beer brewed during the four years preceding the fire.

The year 1870 may be called the second starting point in the growth of Hell Gate Brewery. In a certain sense the fire was not an unmixed evil, especially in view of the fact that the demand for Ehret beer was fast outgrowing the capacity of the original plant, necessitating a considerable extension of the premises and buildings, and many additions to the machinery and other appointments.

As stated above, the amount of beer produced and sold by the Hell Gate Brewery in the year 1874 amounted to 101,050 barrels; in 1880, the production amounted to 220,096 barrels, an increase in six years of over one hundred per cent. Ten years after, in the year 1890, the production amounted to 412,851 barrels, making another increase of almost one hundred per cent for the decade. In the year 1900, the production was 601,000 barrels, showing an increase of about forty-six per cent. This is a record to be proud of, and one that has seldom been equaled in the history of brewing.

This immense production has been attained without any forced efforts to open new channels outside of the limits of the State of New York; although, naturally enough, whenever a demand was shown to exist in outside markets, Mr. George Ehret endeavored to supply it, and thus established a number of agencies. The home demand always proved so great that the idea of engaging in an extensive export trade beyond the sea could not be entertained, save in conjunction with plans for a further enlargement of the brewery premises and increase in equipment.

On approaching the brewery, one is impressed at the very first glance with the unusually large dimensions of the grounds upon which the buildings are erected. In a smaller city this would not be anything worthy of note, but in New York, and especially in that part of it to which we refer, where scantness of territory and an immense and ever-growing population render necessary the utmost economy in the utilization of space (much to the detriment of architectural beauty), such extended premises as those we speak of can not fail to make an impression. The grounds, extending from within a short distance of Third avenue to Second avenue, and from Ninety-first to Ninety-fourth streets, comprise, inclusive of stables and storage buildings on Second avenue between Ninety-first and Ninety-third streets, seventy-five city lots, or one hundred and eighty-seven thousand five hundred square feet.

The main building, an imposing structure, surmounted by a graceful clock tower, fronts on Ninety-third street, extending southward to a considerable depth; it is flanked on either side by lower wings, which, in point of architecture and symmetrical proportions, harmonize perfectly with the principal facade. Ornamental gables, rising from the cornices of every building, enhance the impression of uniformity which, next to utility, was manifestly one of the prime objects of the architect.

-- 100 Years of Brewing, pp. 374-375. George Ehret, once this nation's largest brewer, passed away in January of 1927 (leaving an estate valued at $40,000,000!). It was beginning to look as if Prohibition would last forever and the executors of Ehret's estate debated whether they should sell the mammoth brewery buildings on the upper east side of Manhattan. For years they held off but in April of 1935 Col. Jacob Ruppert, Ehret's neighbor on Third Avenue and 92nd Street, made an offer that the Ehret family just couldn't refuse. With the sale to Ruppert, the Ehrets had even more money to add to what they'd inherited earlier -- but they had no brewery. This problem was solved very nicely by the cash purchase, in July of 1935, of the Interboro Beverage Co. facilities [in Brooklyn]. Although the location was new, the brewery was still very much under the control of the Ehret family. Louis J. Ehret, George's son, headed the firm, and he was aided by two of George's grandchildren, George Ehret Burghardt and William Ehret Ottmann. Richard Barthel, brewmaster at the old Ehret plant in Yorkville, also made the move to Brooklyn. Over $200,000 was spent to thoroughly recondition the plant throughout, and by the summer of 1936 Louis J. Ehret had the plant in full production.

Ehret's Extra Beer and Ale were brewed in Brooklyn for the next 12 years, until 1948, when the company transferred its operations to Union City, New Jersey. Whether Ehret's moved because of an irresistible offer from Schlitz [who bought the Brooklyn plant] or because the Union City plant seemed preferable is unknown. In any case, move to New Jersey they did, where they remained in operation but three more years.

http://www.beerhistory.com/library/holdings/ehret.shtml

When he died in 1927, he was the city's second-largest landowner (bested only bythe John Jacob Astor estate), claiming title to a Fifth Avenue mansion, large holdings in the Wall Street area, a corner lot abutting Columbus Circle, and chunks of Harlem, then a upper middle class neighborhood. (Ambitious Brew)

George Ehret By Gregg Smith

One's heritage can predetermine the events of life. Heritage can serve as the beacon which guides a career, foretell a destiny and map the road to eventual riches. It can serve as a base for success, fame and triumph. But sometimes, in one of life's ironies, it can also lead to downfall.

Like many of America's founding brewers, George Ehret was born in Germany, his date of birth recorded as April 6, 1835. In August of 1852 his father emigrated to the United States. It was common custom in the 1800's for the patriarch to venture to the New World first, establish himself, and after amassing enough savings, send for other family members. Thus was the elder Ehret's plan.

When it was George's turn to come to America the year was 1857. By that time lager beer was not only the new darling of brewing, it virtually dominated the market. There could be no more natural occupation for a German newcomer than the brewing business and so it was with young George Ehret. Finding employment in the brewery of A. Hupfel, Ehret soon distinguished himself and rose to a position of supervisor.

Hupfel was a benevolent employer and watched as Ehret, through careful monitoring of personal expenses and avid saving, was able in only eight years to strike out on his own. A lesser person may have felt somewhat threatened but Hupfel not only encouraged Ehret, he provided advice and support. Although he felt certain George would succeed he did look with skepticism on the location Ehret picked for his brewery, the then rural area near New York's East River known as Hell Gate. In fact, the location lent itself to the name "George Ehret's Hell Gate Brewery."

Established in 1866, the brewhouse was completed in 1867 on a site bounded by Second and Third avenues and 92nd and 93rd streets. Ehret's plan was to create a lager like those of Munich and though hampered by the water available in New York he was able to produce a beer which closely resembled that style. Barrels of this beer first rolled out of the brewery in March of 1867 and was immediately accepted by the harshest of critics - New York's beer drinkers.

Just as things were settling into a comfortable pattern near disaster struck. On September 19, 1870 a fire destroyed both the brewery and accounting books. Despite this near tragic setback Ehret saw opportunity; his beer was selling well and this was a chance to expand capacity. By 1872 the new facility was producing 33,512 barrels, the next year output was 74,497 and in 1874 it topped 101,000 barrels. By 1877 George Ehret had become the largest brewer in the country; in 1880 he sold 220,000 barrels and in the next decade he nearly doubled that to more than 412,000. Through those years Ehret continually expanded his facilities until the plant stretched from 91st to 94th streets. Storage and stables ran from 91st to the main building on 93rd where its elegant clock tower became a neighborhood landmark.

Most notable about Ehret's rise to number one was that the vast majority of his sales were restricted to New York City. For an eighteen year period beginning in 1877 New York made him the leading brewer of the United States. Then, as others developed nationwide distribution systems he was bumped from the number one spot. Yet, despite being passed by the national sales of Pabst, Anheuser-Busch and Schlitz, his regional sales were still strong enough for him to remain number four.

Business couldn't have been better as Ehret entered the new century. Still the aging brewer worked at improving and expanding his brewery. Then, thinking it was time for a much needed rest, Ehret heard the call of his heritage. George booked passage for a vacation to the German land of his birth. It would prove a fateful trip. While Ehret was out of the country the hostilities of World War One broke out and though he immediately returned he was haunted by rumor and innuendo regarding his ill-timed trip. Worsening matters was the prohibition movement which gained support by turning public opinion against the German origins of the country's brewers.

Ehret didn't live to see prohibition's repeal, he died in 1927. In 1935 his heirs sold the brewery to Jacob Ruppert but reentered the beer business later that same year by purchasing the Brooklyn Interboro Beverage Company.

Finally, the great story of Ehret came to an end in 1949 when brewery strikes were crippling New York's breweries. Then Schlitz stepped in and acquired its first facility outside Milwaukee. The old number one was literally replaced by the new number one, and a New York institution was gone. On the waterfront they still say "He could'a been a contender."

http://www.realbeer.com/library/authors/smith-g/george_ehret_ny.php